ERA25LA320

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 170B · Livermore Falls, ME · August 23, 2025

Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal report
Date
August 23, 2025, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
Place
Livermore Falls, ME · Turf runway
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N170JLCessna 170B
Defining event
Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 30, 2026
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20250823012059A
Case key
200879

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

Findings · 4

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: airspeedAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 170B: 13 casesAll aircraft: 1,681 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 170B: 91 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensationCessna 170B: 13 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 cases
Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 170B: 5 casesAll aircraft: 990 cases

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot reported that purpose of the flight was to conduct two takeoffs and landings as part of a short takeoff and landing (STOL) competition. Runway 20 was in use, with winds from the south at 5 knots, gusting to 10 knots. Following the second takeoff, ground personnel advised the pilot that wind conditions had increased. During the second landing, at an altitude of about 20 ft above ground level (agl), the pilot inadvertently allowed the airplane’s airspeed to decay as it approached the intended touchdown point, and the left wing stalled. He attempted to correct for the stalled condition but was unable to regain control of the airplane. A spectator positioned near the accident site recorded the accident sequence. Review of the spectator-recorded video showed the airplane descending from about 20 ft agl in a nose-up attitude. The left wing dropped and contacted the ground, and the airplane rotated to the left. The nose subsequently impacted the ground, and the airplane continued to rotate left and came to rest about 180° from its original direction of flight. The airplane’s left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N170JL
Reported as
Cessna 170B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
25560
Built
1953
Airframe hours
4,795
Engine
Lycoming O-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · May 10, 2025 · 52 hours before
Departed
B10 · Livermore Falls, ME
Destination
Same as departure
Airport
B10 · Bowman Field Airport, runway 20, 2,201 × 120 ft, grass/turf
Equipment
Angle of attack indicator, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
56
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,818 total · 1,219 in this make and model · 1,818 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 54 °F
Altimeter
29.98 inHg
Observed at
AUG, 16 nm away
METAR
KAUG 231853Z AUTO VRB06G20KT 10SM CLR 29/12 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP151 T02940122 PWINO

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 13.2 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.